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CLOTHES MENTOR Makes Franchise of the Day!

Clothes Mentor customer looking through rack of colorful tops
Photo credit: Shutterstock

Clothes Mentor was recently named Franchise of the Day by Entrepreneur. Read the brief write-up here, or check it out at entrepreneur.com.

Franchise of the Day: Up Your Style With Some New Duds

When it comes to style at a low cost, Clothes Mentor has got ya covered.

The chain isn’t the first resale franchise founders Lynn and Dennis Blum opened. Previously working on two others, Once Upon a Child and Plato’s Closet, the duo sold them to Grow Biz International (now Winmark Corporation).

Clothes Mentor opened its doors in 2001 offering a place for women to buy and sell shoes, purses, clothing and other delightful duds. It caught the eye of Grow Biz co-founder Ronald Olson, who had left the company in 2000. He began franchising Clothes Mentor in 2007.

Today, the franchise is ranked as No. 260 on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 list for 2016.

Brandon Yeager

Brandon Yeager

Software Engineer

Software Engineer
Leah Weisbecker

Leah Weisbecker

Franchise Business Consultant

Franchise Business Consultant
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Michelle Vaudrin

Senior Director of Operations

Michelle Vaudrin is the Senior Director of Operations for  Children’s Orchard and Clothes Mentor. Before joining Children’s Orchard in 2016, she worked in leadership roles for Burlington, American Eagle, and Macy’s.

Michelle attended the University of Wisconsin-Stout with a Retail Merchandising and Business Administration degree. She brings an extensive background in training in strategies, merchandising, customer service, and multi-unit store operations to the team.

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Jenny Mann

Vice President of Operations | Executive Director of IT

Jenny Mann is the Vice President of Operations for Clothes Mentor and Children’s Orchard. In January of 2020, Jenny also took on the role of Executive Director of IT, overseeing BST, our Point of Sale system, and the e-commerce platforms for both brands. Prior to this, Jenny was the Director of Marketing for NTY Franchise Company since January 2013. Jenny started with the NTY Franchise Company in 2008 with Clothes Mentor and has held many roles, including; Store Manager, New Store Opener, and Regional Operations Manager. Before joining NTY Franchise Company, Jenny worked for Old Navy (Gap, Inc.) and Target in management roles.

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Chad Olson

Chief Operations Officer

Chad Olson has been Chief Operations Officer of NTY Franchise Company since January 2007. From May 1994 to December 2006, he held various positions for Winmark Corporation (f/k/a Grow Biz International, Inc.), including Field Operations Manager for the Once Upon a Child concept from 1999 to 2002, and Regional Operations Manager for the Plato’s Closet concept from 2002 to 2006.

Sean Marrs

Sean Marrs

IT/Tech Administrator

IT/Tech Administrator
Marissa Stacy

Marissa Stacy

Jr. Graphic Designer

Jr. Graphic Designer

Ashlyn Aarness

Ashlyn Aarness

Social Media Specialist

Social Media Specialist
Ashley Huebner

Ashley Huebner

Director of Marketing

Ashley Huebner oversees Children’s Orchard’s marketing and advertising efforts to drive sales, build brand awareness, and lead the planning on how to market the brand effectively. She leads creative initiatives by driving the brands’ vision in aesthetics, tone, and trends to elevate our brand position as a leader in the resale category.

Ashley joined the Children’s Orchard team in 2015. Ashley has 10+ years of Graphic Design experience. Ashley holds a strong background in design, user experience, and a passion for creativity. She holds a BA degree in Advertising and Art.